blissful nightmares & mechanical dreams

Main Menu

Heathered Pearls – Body Complex

The space contained in a room, the sensation of moving through it… these are the concepts which Heathered Pearls address on ‘Body Complex’. Take a closer look at the title of this record and the motivations behind it will become clearer each time you listen. Swelling atmospheres draw us into his creations and while there are only 10 to mull over, they are sequenced in an exacting order underlined by a precise agenda. We move though sparse electronics and elegant washes of programming but for all the scrutinizing our ears can muster there is no definitive approach to be discovered here. Like ripples on the water, each piece manages to capture the impact of architecture upon the individual marvellously; it is a delicate, tactile experience this man has created.

When I first got this release, I played it through a few times and thought: Isn’t this pretty, what else can it do, though. Having let it out for a couple weeks now I can firmly state that there are trace elements of varying experiences scattered all over the place; you can almost see where they were, as though the events which transpired are still lingering just beneath the smooth exterior. And before anyone asks, this is one smooth collection of tracks. Don’t go wondering about their merit. They work perfectly in the background as no one would begin to suspect their true depth. But when the small hours come, as late-night delicacies they stand tall either collectively or on their own. My main question is how did he know when they were done.

There are so many variable at work here, they push and pull gently at the synapses. Shades of intruiging melancholy move about through the stark beats while every now and then blushes of cinematic tension wash over you. A lot of this style is indulgent and at times downright lazy but Heathered Pearls definitely had something specific in mind when this album was made, he’s done a track by track analysis of it which you can easily find if you want the answer key.

I find myself returning to these works. Continually I am discovering new facets, pushing further into the murky realm this man operates from within. How this came to be partially labeled as minimal I just do not understand… everything about this LP is drenched with reflection; it will leave you in a state of glorious abandon.